I'm having computer trouble...hopefully this has gone out only once. Hans, A bunch of questions in return.... Have you seen/do you own a copy of Eugen Weber's "Familienbuch der Gemeinde Önsbach in Baden" which was published in 2004. This book is one of a number of Town books of Baden and is listed at Wendelin's companion page of < http://ortenau.genealogy-bw.de/search/ >, click on Sources, look for the line which starts "Liste der Ortsfamilienbücher...", another click and go down to book number 108. My last e-mail address about this book was < jutta.eis@gmx.de > which was the address of Eugen's daughter Jutta. It is possible that another on this List may be able to offer you better details about the current availability of the Familienbuch if you do not own it. Herr Weber lives in Mörlenbach. Your Gerwitz families are listed as families 677, 678, 679 and 685 identifying that Simon left Baden for America in 1867. The family of Eva Ernst goes back one further generation and her family is listed as family 577. With a copy of this message, I would ask another for help. One of our List members is originally from Önsbach and has done much work on searching the emigrants from that town. In addition she had has access to some details prepared a number of years ago by a Priest of the town. Perhaps she might have some additional details for you. My own Sauer ancestry from Önsbach fits in with part of the Gerwitz line but at an 1819 marriage and NOT directly to your line. Vincenz Gerwita (1792-1869) who was a son of the Simon Gerwitz-Maria Theresia Haas marriage married Rosalia Spengler in that 1819 marriage. Simon was the eldest child while your Johann Gottfried was the youngest son from the marriage of your Gottfried Gerwitz-Maria Cleopha Sack marriage. I have used the spellings as suggested in the Familienbuch although there is the indication that Sach could have been sugg or Sucher. (If I had a guess, I might believe in the surname Sucher based on the reusing of first names within a family.) My connection: Vincenz Gerwita married Rosalia Spengler in 1819. Rosalia was the daughter of Michael Spengler and Magdalena Hofer who married in 1793. Magdalena was the dauhgter of Franz Xaver Hofer and Maria Anna Saur who married in 1763. Maria anna was the daughter of Johannes Saur and Cleophe Sucher who married at Urloffen in 1722. (The Sucher family was of Önsbach while the Saur family at that time lived in Urloffen.) After I had searched through the filmed copies of the Church Registers of both Fautenbach and Önsbach, I found on-line some Gerwitz details covering a line of the family which had emigrated from Önsbach to New York and to Illinois. Either my eyes were going bad to worse as I read those Church Registers or.....there were discrepancies between my results and some of the on-line statements. I add this thought merely as a reminder that perhaps not everything published on-line is correct. (For another line from another town in Baden, I have been trying to explain to the woman who posted the Tree that sister and brother did not marry and that children of more years of age than their listed parents would not be possible. She does not understand....just be cautious if you find any on-line details. Double check!) The Familienbuch may be your better investment although there are enough of us on this List with Önsbach ancestry that you may be able to get what you need. Keep in mind that early records....before the Church Registers....rarely would exist. For Önsbach as part of Habsburg lands and being directly across the river from France meant that the French often raided, leaving destruction and death in the area. The earliest Gerwitz of your line in the Familienbuch, Gottfried Gerwitz is identified with the words "Badischer Jäger". djweber djwdjw@ix.netcom.com (Hans I am not related to Eugen Weber. My sole connection to the town of Önsbach is my Sur/Saur/Sauer familly but after finding the first Saur in Önsbach, I have attempted to work a downward tree to equal in time my emigrating ancestor.)